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Becki Enright has left London behind to move to the sizeable European city, which was once known for its grumpiness but has just been named the friendliest on the Continent

A Brit who swapped London for a European capital once known for grumpiness has explained why the city is actually one of the friendliest in the world.

In Vienna, the grizzly mood of locals is so renowned that there is not one, but two special words to describe it. One is ‘raunzen’, which means to grouch, crab, gripe, grouse or whimper fretfully, according to Langenscheidt.

The other is ‘Wiener Schmäh’ – what Brit Becki Enright describes as the unique kind of Viennese sarcasm and humour. “It can be hard to grasp and come across as blunt if you don’t quite get it,” the travel writer and guide explained.

According to Becki, the dark cloud that once hung over the Austrian capital has lifted, and its reputation as Europe’s grumpiest city is outdated. So much so, Vienna was just named the friendliest city in Europe by CNTraveller, which canvassed the opinions of half a million readers.

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Becki swapped London for Vienna ten years ago and has fallen in love with the city of two million. She argues that it deserves the top spot because of how welcoming it is as a place to live in general, rather than specifically how the Viennese treat tourists and one another.

“The general sense of friendliness comes from how clean, accessible, safe and culturally rich the city is,” she explained.

“Every city has its highlights, so it’s hard to compare. But Vienna’s quality of life is a stand-out factor. Rents are typically cheaper, with an emphasis on being outdoors and enjoying nature that’s on your doorstep. There’s great infrastructure and an affordable public transport system. The cuisine is based on farm-fresh and locally harvested ingredients, supporting local producers. The arts and music are a way of life; you are never short of cultural events to attend.”

Despite being home to over a fifth of Austria’s nine million-person population, Becki has found the pace of life in Vienna to be calm. “It’s not a chaotic metropolis; things move at a much slower pace here. This slower pace is a blessing in some aspects of life, though it may require patience in others.”

The city is also green – both in the environmental and literal sense. The public transport system is extensive and cheap for all. Children under six travel for free, as do youth up to 15 years old during the school holidays and on Sundays. A raft of similar other initiatives has seen Vienna ranked as the “greenest” metropolis in the world.

It’s also covered in parks, which may be the secret to the city’s new friendly reputation. Studies have shown that access to vegetation-rich parks and increases both happiness and productivity, especially following the coronavirus pandemic.

“Half of Vienna is green space,” Becki continued.

“There are free-to-enter palace gardens (Schönbrunn and Belvedere). In the centre, you have the Hofburg castle lawns and the city’s first public park, Stadtpark (which opened in 1862). Across the Danube, you have the largest recreational park, Prater (a former imperial hunting ground), best known for its Würstelprater fairground.

“Vienna is also the only European city growing significant amounts of wine in its city limits, so you can easily jump on public transport and be at a vineyard, or take one of the city’s 14 hiking trails, many of which track through the circumambient Vienna Woods.”

When it comes to hanging out in the sunnier months, such as July, when the average daily high is 27 °C, the riverbank is the place to go.

“While you can’t swim in the Danube, Vienna makes the most of its waterside hangouts. The Danube Canal is lined with bars and boat restaurants and the beach bar (Strandbar Herrmann). The banks of the Danube tributaries are the warmer-weather recreational hangouts,” Becki continued.

“The Neue Donau (New Danube) riverfront has a sand bank recreational hangout Copa Beach. The Alte Donau (Old Danube) is where you can hire pedal and motor boats or SUP on the waters. It’s also home to the recreational island, Strandbad Gänsehäufel, with swimming pools, bathing lawns, a little beach area and restaurants. Then you have the Donauinsel (Danube Island), which hosts a free music festival each June, the Donauinselfest.”

As pleasant as relaxing by the water and in the parks may be, come the evening, it’s time to head inside for a bite and a drink. Becki recommends Leopoldstadt, especially the area of the Karmeliterviertel that spills around the food market, for “casual-cool and indie hangouts” and the recently trendy Beisl pub, contemporary restaurant Skopik and Lohn for schnitzel.

“The districts that spread from the well-known Naschmarkt are what I would say are the grungy-trendy downtown areas, with boutique, upcycled and second-hand stores and a great spread of nightlife. The most well-known neighbourhood here is the Freihausviertel in the 4th (next to the Karlskirche) – home to the city’s generational cafe concept, Vollpension,” she continued.

“The 7th district is the most bougie and creative – one of my favourite bars is Atlas, a Beisl- turned-gastropub spalshed with art, and which features an art-gallery space at the back. In the 9th district, the Servitenviertel neighbourhood is dubbed ‘Little Paris’ and is lined with food outlets – I’d start at the converted pharmacy turned bakery, La Mercerie for a coffee and pastry.”

There are two main ways to get to Vienna from the UK. A train from London to the city typically takes 13 to 17 hours and requires two changes, as there are, unfortunately, no direct services. The journey involves operators like Eurostar, TGV, and ICE or ÖBB, with services running from London St Pancras International to Vienna Hbf.

There are direct flights from airports in Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, London, Liverpool and Edinburgh, which take between two and two and a half hours, and are available for from £15 this month.

Roshni Ward, 30, and Louis Hunt, 33, were fed up with the UK and high living costs

A British couple, fed up with the UK’s “poor work-life balance” and cost of living, have found their own paradise where their water bill is a few pounds and a meal out costs a fraction of what it does at home. They say that, in Thailand, they save a whopping £1,000 a month on rent and pay just £2.76 for water bills.

Roshni Ward, 30, and her fiancé Louis Hunt, 33, were exhausted from working 11-hour days and overtime in their flat in Rye, East Sussex, and yearned for a “slower pace of life”. The pair decided to pack their bags and move to Chiang Mai, Thailand, last September.

They were instantly smitten with the laid-back lifestyle, friendly locals, balmy 30C weather, and breathtaking architecture. Their monthly rent is now a mere £300, which includes access to a gym and pool, while water bills are only £2.76, taxis cost £1.50, and takeaways are just £2. This has resulted in savings of over £1,000 compared to their previous UK rent of £1,350.

Roshni, who now works as a content creator, said: “We always wanted to move abroad and had toyed with the idea of it. The UK didn’t feel safe and a poor work-life balance meant we were too burnt out to enjoy life.

“Since moving, we love the slower pace of life, as well as the weather, the rich culture and the welcoming locals. And the cost of everything is so much lower, which was a shock to the system – in a good way! If we can help it, we won’t come back to the UK.”

Roshni and Louis began earnestly considering an overseas relocation following their return from a Thai getaway in December 2024. Roshni was employed full-time as a corporate team leader in broadband sales and revealed she’d frequently find herself putting in extra hours at weekends, preventing her from unwinding and savouring her leisure time.

Louis was employed full-time as a carpenter, enduring 11-hour shifts including his commute, and would become physically drained as well.

Roshni said: “There was a poor work-life balance. When we got to the weekend, we were so burnt out that we didn’t want to do anything.”

They also felt insecure in the UK, especially Roshni as a woman, owing to crime rates, and recalled from their December break that they felt considerably safer in Thailand. So the moment their lease on their rented property in Rye expired, they started searching for rental properties in Thailand and relocated to Chiang Mai on September 3.

Roshni and Louis both quit their UK positions – with Roshni becoming a full-time content creator and Louis becoming an online fitness coach. She said the residents were all incredibly friendly and everyone was prepared to assist you if you were struggling.

There is a substantial community of international expats, providing plenty of chances to encounter fresh faces and mingle. The pair love exploring stunning temples, elephant sanctuaries, Thai eateries and waterfalls.

Roshni said: “There’s something for everyone in Chiang Mai.”

The couple have discovered that swapping the UK for Thailand has slashed their living costs dramatically. Despite both working remotely for international clients and earning UK wages, they’ve found life in Thailand to be a fraction of the cost.

Their stylish condo, just a ten-minute drive from the city centre and boasting a gym, swimming pool and co-working area, sets them back a mere £300 per month. This is a stark contrast to their previous flat in the UK which cost them a hefty £1,350 each month.

Utility bills are also significantly cheaper, with water costing a mere £2.76 compared to the UK’s steep £76. Even getting around is a bargain – a 20-minute taxi ride in Thailand will only set you back £1.50.

Electricity bills are another area where they’re making huge savings, paying just £44 compared to the UK’s whopping £300. And because taxis are so affordable, they’ve ditched owning a car or bike, saving even more on fuel and maintenance costs.

Eating out is also a steal, with takeaways costing between £1.50 and £2, and a full meal and drinks at a restaurant coming in at just £8 – a far cry from the UK, where it would be around £60. Roshni added that pints of beer are “no more than £2”.

The only item they’ve found to be pricier in Thailand is Bisto gravy granules, setting them back around £5 due to import costs. But despite the financial benefits, what they love most about their new home is the slower pace of life and the rich culture.

Roshni said: “In the mornings we can get lie-ins, go to the gym, have a swim and then start work. In the UK, everyone starts early and is asleep by 11pm, here, you could finish work at 10pm and everything is still open. Louis has some UK clients – he can have a business call at 11pm and we can still go out for a meal after.”

They are smitten with the culture – the opportunity to visit stunning temples, elephant sanctuaries and tours – as well as the tranquil and friendly locals.

She said: “Anyone will stop and help you if you need it. In the UK, if someone foreign came up to you asking for help, most people wouldn’t stop.”

Despite their short stay in Thailand, they are so enamoured that they can’t envision returning to the UK.

Roshni revealed: “We would like to stay permanently. We’d be more open to starting a family here than in the UK because it’s so much safer. We’ve just fallen in love.”

Costs: UK vs Thailand

Monthly rent: £1,350 vs £300

Monthly water bills: £76 vs £2.76

Monthly electric: £300 vs £44

Monthly transport: £95 for car costs vs £30 for taxi

Meal out: £60 vs £8

Pint of lager: £5.50 vs £2

A UK train station that lost its direct routes to Europe during the pandemic could soon welcome them back.

Eurostar rival Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) said they were likely to restart train routes from Ashford International Station when they launch.

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The Italian train operator revealed plans earlier this year to take on Eurostar with UK-Europe routes.

And it has since confirmed a £1billion investment into the UK economy which would include reopening the Kent station.

Initial plans include an “Innovation Hub” in Ashford International Station by early 2026, the Times reports.

The first trains to Europe will then launch in 2029 from London to Paris, which includes a stop in Ashford.

Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy also backed the return of European connections at Ashford International.

He said earlier this year: “I firmly believe that competition offers the best prospect of international services returning to Kent stations.”

Eurostar scrapped all trains from Ashford back in 2020, as well as trains at Ebbsfleet International.

Despite a campaign with more than 75,000 signatures for trains to return to Ashford, Eurostar has yet to confirm if they will.

Initial suggestions of reopening it in 2026 have been quashed.

The Eurostar has been the only railway line to use the Channel Tunnel since 1994.

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However, other operators have since revealed plans to take them on.

Virgin has revealed plans to launch trains from the UK to Europe by 2030.

This would include routes from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam – similar destinations to Eurostar.

Another rival is Gemini Trains, who has teamed up with Uber.

The new train operator recently bought 10 high speed trains ahead of plans to launch from both London and Ebbsfleet to Paris and Brussels by 2029.

Evolyn, a new start up, expressed plans for London-Paris trains back in 2023, with initial plans to launch next year.

And Eurostar themselves has revealed huge expansion plans, with potential new European destinations.

When it comes to France, it could relaunch train routes to Marseille and Bordeaux, having previously once stopped there.

And the CCO said they could also one day stop in cities in both Germany and Switzerland.

This could include places like Cologne and and Frankfurt, as well as Geneva and Zurich.

Here are four Eurostar routes that have been scrapped over the years.

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A SAVVY entrepreneur ditched her boring desk job at ASOS and is now raking in as much as £56,000 in a single day.

Aimee Smale, has taken her fashion brand Odd Muse from a bedroom side hustle to a multi-million-pound empire.

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The twenty-eight year old has now cemented her place among luxury giants by flinging open the doors to her first UK flagship on London’s exclusive New Bond Street.

Humble beginnings

Just a few years ago, Aimee was slogging away in a £21,000-a-year admin role, feeling unfulfilled working from home during the pandemic.

But with a burning ambition, she started a clever side hustle, flogging £10 logos to Brits who’d started small businesses in lockdown.

Speaking candidly to Grace Beverley on the Working Hard, Hardly Working podcast, she revealed how the tenner-a-pop gig became a goldmine, saying: “I was making like 30 logos a day at one point. 

“Finishing ASOS, closing my laptop, staying up all night to just make logos. But it got me £12,000 for Odd Muse.”

Aimee’s dream was to have her own fashion brand and so she began saving to start what would become her own fashion empire.

Aimee ploughed her entire side-hustle earnings into ordering the first batch of stock, admitting she was “almost arrogant” in her belief that it would be a roaring success. 

She ordered 100 units of her now-iconic blazer, and her bold gamble paid off big time, selling out in days and breaking even instantly.

A significant moment for Odd Muse came when influencer Lorna Luxe purchased the blazer, leading to a massive surge in sales.

Aimee shared, “I remember saying to everyone – everyone would be like who do you want to wear your brand and I would say Lorna. Anyone in the world – Lorna.

“She literally bought it, put it on her story, and it changed the game for me.”

The success of the Ultimate Muse Blazer was followed by the launch of the Pearl Dress, which sold out within a minute.

The brand made over £100k in its first three months and is now a certified smash hit, turning over a whopping £5.2 million in 2023. 

Fashion visionary

Aimee’s vision was to create timeless, luxury clothes that young women could actually afford, offering an alternative to the world of throwaway fast fashion.

She previously told The Sun: “I just remember thinking fashion when I left university aged 21 was fast fashion, which is all we can afford, and the luxury sector is unattainable. 

“I just wanted to offer a fast fashion alternative and justify a price point that encouraged re-wearing and investing in your wardrobe.”

Flagship store opening

Now, Aimee has officially taken over one of the most prestigious shopping streets in the world, having opened her glitzy new store on October 3. 

Despite her mega-success, she admitted on TikTok she still gets terrified no one will show up to her events, a fear that was quickly squashed when 2,000 eager fans turned up to a recent sample sale.

The fashion mogul revealed she was even warned against the bold move onto Bond Street.

“I was told no… I didn’t need to take on New Bond Street,” she said. 

But Aimee was determined to create a space for her loyal fans, “inviting our community into a world luxury fashion previously didn’t think to invite them into.”

The shy girl from class is now the poster girl for her own business, using her relatable personality on TikTok to connect with thousands of customers worldwide. 

She credits this authentic approach for building a massive community, with a staggering 60% of orders now coming from the US.

Meanwhile, the company’s permanent boutique in London’s Covent Garden celebrated its second anniversary back in March.

From her bedroom to Bond Street, Aimee’s incredible journey shows what can happen when you have a bit of northern grit and a brilliant idea. 

As she puts it, seeing addresses from all over the world flooding in made her realise “Odd Muse was going to be something big.”

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Jewells Chambers, an American expat who originally hails from Brooklyn, New York, detailed how she felt a “magnetic” pull towards the stunning “Land of Fire and Ice”

An expat who abandoned life in the US and relocated to a remote European nation has revealed one particular disadvantage she’s encountered. Jewells Chambers, an American expat originally from Brooklyn, New York, explained how she felt a “magnetic” attraction to the breathtaking “Land of Fire and Ice,” with its striking landscapes filled with volcanoes and glaciers.

Jewells, who currently makes $73,000 (approximately £54,200), first relocated to Iceland in 2016, after marrying an Icelander (they divorced in 2023) and securing a position in the marketing department at a local travel company.

Alongside this role, the 38-year-old also established the YouTube channel and podcast All Things Iceland in 2018, which offers viewers the “inside scoop” on the Nordic country, with Jewells making the brand her full-time focus in 2020.

However, despite appearing to relish her life in the nation, she did acknowledge one downside of residing there; Iceland is a famously costly country (eighth most expensive globally in 2023), with a cost of living allegedly 15.8 per cent higher than the US, according to Business Insider.

Speaking to CNBC Make It, Jewells revealed her living costs: “In general, Iceland is expensive, and in particular, when it comes to eating out, it definitely can be expensive.

“It is normal to pay somewhere between $25 to $30 (about £18 to £22) for one course at a restaurant, a main course. Often, when I’ve gone out and I had a three-course dinner, that would be somewhere around $100 to £120 (about £74 to £89).

“A cup of coffee also varies, depending on where you get it. It could cost you as much as $7.50 to almost $8 (about £5.60 to £6).”

Previously in the clip, the creators revealed a pie chart detailing Jewells’ monthly expenditure for June 2024.

Her total outgoings reached $4,667 (about £3,400), with $2,030 (about £1,500) going towards accommodation and utilities, plus $545 (about £400) on groceries.

However, her expenses have been mitigated somewhat thanks to a contract with a local vehicle hire company, which means she only covers petrol costs. She also takes advantage of Iceland’s free healthcare provision.

Iceland, a sparsely populated island in the North Atlantic, is known for its geothermal hot springs and geysers, as well as such natural attractions as the famous Blue Lagoon spa.

The country boasts 376,000 residents as of 2024, and this year secured third place as the world’s happiest nation in the 2025 World Happiness Report (just behind Finland in first place and Denmark).

The BBC reported that Iceland achieved the top score globally for social support whilst also earning impressive rankings for freedom and generosity, placing third and fifth.

Another element that allegedly adds to residents’ happiness is the country’s breathtaking scenery. US geologist Jessica Poteet, who also relocated to Iceland, discussed the matter with the corporation.

She revealed that living somewhere blessed with volcanoes, Northern Lights, “cotton candy-pink” skies, and snow-capped peaks during winter feels like a “dream” and something she “never” takes for granted.

Travel blogger Jen Carr took her kids to France instead of Cornwall for less than half the price it would have cost to holiday in the UK. This is exactly how she did it

When planning a half-term break, Cornwall tops the list for its beautiful beaches, cosy cottages and a holiday without the airport stress – but it’s not cheap.

Travel blogger and mum Jen says she recently took her family to France after pricing up Cornwall and realising it was more expensive than going on holiday abroad.

“We recently priced up a summer break – a week in a two-bedroom caravan in a holiday park in Cornwall came in at £2,100,” she says. “And that’s before adding petrol, meals out, and activities!

“For the exact same dates as that caravan in Cornwall, we found a week at a French holiday camp for under £1,000 – literally half the price. More sunshine, better facilities, more fun – and for less money.”

The money she saved on the campsite went towards flights and car hire. But it wasn’t just accommodation costs where she managed to save money. The blogger, who runs The Travel Mum, has revealed other ways people can save some serious cash.

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Petrol vs flights

“Driving from where we live to Cornwall takes seven hours each way and, with fuel prices as they are, would’ve cost us around £120 just in petrol. (Plus 14 hours of hell in the car with the kids…)

“We found flights to the French Riviera for under £500 for four people. You can get flights to Paris for even less, currently around £350 for four people in August. If you can travel light you save a fortune by not adding a big check in luggage.”

Holiday camp hack

“The South of France has absolutely mastered the art of the family holiday camp. Think pools, huge playgrounds, kids’ clubs packed with activities, and evening entertainment that keeps everyone happy.

:And the best part? For the exact same dates as that caravan in Cornwall, we found a week at a French holiday camp for under £1,000 – literally half the price. More sunshine, better facilities, more fun… for less money.”

Eating out costs less

“In Cornwall, we’ve spent £60+ on a family pub lunch without even trying. In France, we were eating out in little village restaurants for €35-€40 total – three courses, bread, and a glass of wine included.

“Supermarkets are much cheaper too. We stocked up on fresh baguettes, cheese, and fruit for picnics and spent much less than we would on a similar supermarket shop in the UK.”

Car hire ‘dream’

“This one’s less about saving money and more about saving your sanity. If you’ve ever braved Cornwall in peak season, you’ll know the chaos of narrow lanes, endless queues, and half the UK heading there at once.

“In contrast, driving in France is a dream – wide, quiet roads, smooth journeys, and far less stress. Plus, car hire is surprisingly affordable if you book in advance, making it an easy win for both comfort and convenience.”

The bottom line

“Everyone assumes UK staycations are going to be cheaper than going abroad, but that isn’t always the case. When you add up flights, accommodation, eating out, and activities, France actually cost us less – and let us explore a whole new area of the world.

“Our holiday in France could have been even cheaper too! The French Riviera isn’t known for being the cheapest part of the country, but we have always wanted to visit.

“Would we swap Cornwall for France again next half-term? Absolutely. Next time, we’re eyeing up Brittany, the Atlantic coast and even Corsica! Sometimes, going abroad really is the budget option.”

READ MORE: Get a pair of Clarks’ back to school shoes for less than £10 in clever deal

For the past 30 years, Mark Gregory’s Air Salvage International (ASI) has been assessing, chopping up, disassembling, and recycling planes at the private airfield, which sits two miles from Kemble in Gloucestershire

What connects Saddam Hussein, Tom Cruise and Doctor Who? Cotswolds Airport, of course.

The mass murderer, the action star, and the BBC space drama have all starred, in their own way, at one of the most curious pieces of the aviation industry: the plane graveyard.

For the past 30 years, Mark Gregory’s Air Salvage International (ASI) has been assessing, chopping up, disassembling, and recycling planes at the private airfield, which sits two miles from Kemble in Gloucestershire.

Armed with redundancy money in the early ’90s, Mark bought his first plane and spent six months breaking it down into sellable bits. More than 1,400 aircraft later, the business is thriving and employs dozens of people to cope with the growing demand from the ever-expanding aviation industry.

READ MORE: ‘I lost my mind taking the train to Spain – there are three problems’

And there are big bucks at stake. The equivalent of a commercial jet’s MOT costs around £1 million, which is why many plane owners decide to send their ageing aircraft to Mark instead. Sometimes as much as £12 million can be salvaged from them, either in reusable parts or recyclable materials.

There are a few other strings to the business’s bow, Mark explained as he took me on a tour around the facility.

ASI puts on dramatic training scenarios for organisations including the SAS, helping them practise plane-related emergencies. One mock-up situation had Mark and his team crush a van with a plane fuselage, creating a tricky day out for the special forces, who also had to deal with hijackers and “injured” passengers on board.

The airport and its jets are also movie stars. Countless films have been shot at ASI, including The Fast and the Furious 6, World War Z, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mission: Impossible, and Batman. You may also recognise it from small-screen appearances on The One Show, Horizon, Inside Out, Terror in the Skies, Engineering Giants, Casualty and, of course, Doctor Who.

Look closely the next time you see a dramatic plane disaster or runway scene on screen, and you might spot some suspiciously Gloucestershire countryside in the background — or even Mark’s arms.

When not making cash out of old planes or hammering away at the drum kit set up in his runway-side office, the ponytail-sporting scrap magnate can be partially seen on the silver screen, “piloting” the Boeing 727 in its latest movie escapade.

Although many of the firms that send their planes to ASI know exactly what they want back — a demand list that can stretch to 2,000 parts from a single jet — other aircraft meet less formulaic fates.

One big chunk of fuselage ended up in the shadows of The Swarm rollercoaster at Thorpe Park. Others are sent out to aviation buffs who want to decorate their homes with various bits and pieces. Through ASI’s sister site, planestation.aero, you can buy a redundant pilot’s seat for £6,000, or small sections of fuselage with a window for £150. The money raised is spent on the staff Christmas party.

Seat pockets filled with cash-stuffed wallets also occasionally bolster the coffers, although most of these find their way back to their owners.

Another offshoot of the business is crash site investigation. Although downed planes rarely make it to ASI due to the extent of the damage, members of Mark’s team are occasionally called out to inspect the aftermath of major aviation tragedies.

Their expertise in breaking aircraft down makes them particularly useful when it comes to identifying remains and helping determine what went wrong. They were part of the investigation into the Afriqiyah Airways crash in Tripoli, Libya, in 2010, which killed 104 people.

While most of the firm’s planes get broken down and flogged off — sometimes for £10 million for a single jet — Mark Gregory can’t bear to give up certain flying machines that come his way.

One such plane is a VIP-fitted Boeing 727 that was once part of Saddam Hussein’s fleet, after he instructed Iraqi Airways to steal all of Kuwait Airways’ planes during its 1990 invasion of the country. Mark loves the historical significance of the aircraft and its classic ’80s interior.

When owned by the Kuwaiti royal family, the 189-capacity jet was stripped of its standard bum-numbing plane seats and kitted out with enough chintzy furniture to fill a retirement village. We’re talking plush velour seats with extendable footrests, cutting-edge JVC TVs built into mahogany walls, and glass vases filled with plastic roses next to still-unopened bottles of bubbly.

Before Iraqi forces swooped in and took over the Kuwaiti fleet, Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and other well-heeled royals used the plush plane to jet-set. On a patch of carpet now taken over by mould spores, the Emir would sit in a specially constructed throne, using radio equipment to issue commands to his staff from 30,000 feet.

MCDONALD’S fans are demanding the return of a much-loved breakfast deal that fans called “a lifesaver”.

The fast food chain has withdrawn its £2.99 breakfast consisting of a Sausage and Egg McMuffin with a hot drink, leaving customers angrily vowing to breakfast elsewhere.

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One said on Reddit.com: “The only thing I would get from McDonald’s recently would be the £2.99 sausage and egg McMuffin and a drink deal.

“Now that’s disappeared from my local, I can’t justify the prices on anything else!” 

Another said on X.com, formerly known as Twitter: “McMuffin and Hot Drinks deal needs to be brought back.

“It was a lifesaver for people who are tight on money. 

“I went to Lichfield this morning and was shocked to see it’s no longer there. Went to @GreggsOfficial instead.”

A third added: “What’s happened to your breakfast McMuffin and hot drink deal? Really disappointed it disappeared from the menu.

“It just sends me and others to @GreggsOfficial who do an amazing breakfast deal.”

Meanwhile, a fourth fan fumed: “Shame on you for taking £2.99 sausage egg McMuffin & hot drink deal off!! 

“Do you know how many struggling UK citizens relied on this for a substantial breakfast? Now at £5, it’s out of their range.”

Another said: “Rip McMuffin and coffee breakfast deal, you will be missed.”

It’s understood the deal was a limited offer in participating stores, meaning it wasn’t a permanent menu fixture.

Last year, the same items were available for £2.79, but the 20p price rise didn’t put fans off.

Buying the same items would now cost around £4.80, with a sausage and egg McMuffin priced at £3.39 and a regular white coffee is £1.39.

McDonald’s is currently offering its Breakfast Saver Menu, which in some branches includes a separate £2.99 deal for a Saver Bacon Roll and a drink.

A McDonald’s spokesperson told The Sun: “We know how much our customers enjoy our iconic breakfast offerings and it was great to [see] the popularity of that Breakfast Deal.

“We’re always evolving our menu to keep things fresh and exciting for our customers, and we regularly review our Saver Menu to ensure it offers choice for all.”

In comparison, Greggs offers a breakfast roll meal deal for £2.85.

This includes a breakfast roll with one filling as well as a regular hot drink or a 250ml bottle of orange juice.

Other McDonald’s news

It comes as McDonald’s fans were devastated after the chain stopped selling its triple cheeseburger.

McDonald’s also axed several items last week to make way for the new menu offering.

Among them were the Cheesy Garlic Bread Dippers, Lotus Biscoff McFlurry, Steakhouse Stack and McSpicy x Frank’s RedHot.

The menu update comes after the fast food chain discontinued the Chicken Bacon Caesar Wrap last month.

McDonald’s said it was part of a “rotation” of its wrap offering.

The wrap, which combined chicken breast strips, crispy onions, rashers of bacon and lettuce, was first launched in summer 2023.

Meanwhile, Tesco has axed its Pink and Cloudy Lemonade in a blow to fizzy drink fans.

Tesco’s Cloudy Lemonade is also being replaced with a new product called Lemon Zero.

A MUM has shared how she ditched the UK for sunny Thailand with her kids and husband.

Lauren took to social media and shared why she left England and has no regrets in uprooting her family to South East Asia.

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The mum-of-two revealed that she and her family decided the cost of living and their busy schedule was too much.

Instead of putting up with it, they sold their house and bought a one-way ticket to Thailand for a new life.

She said: “We didn’t leave because we hated the UK.

“We left because life started to feel like one long checklist we didn’t remember choosing. Wake up. Rush. Work. Nursery. School. Bills. Repeat.

“We wanted more presence, more connection, more sunsets and slow mornings.

“So we sold almost everything, booked a one-way ticket, and figured it out as we went.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s ours, and we’ve never felt more free.”

Lauren often shared her new life in Thailand on social media and recently shared one of their favourite breakfasts while they stayed in Koh Samui.

She headed to one of her favourite food vendors and ordered fried chicken and sticky rice before getting some Thai milk tea.

The mum even said that she thought the iced tea was better than English Breakfast tea.

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The mum added: “Hands down they are better than an English breakfast tea. They’re sweet, they’re icy. They do give you that little tea fix.”

She said the next step to the perfect breakfast was to locate the nearest beach.

“The beach closest to our house here is Chong Mon. And if you are coming to Koh Samui, even just on holiday, I really recommend this area,” Lauren said.

“It’s kind of like a mix between touristy but not too touristy.

“The beach here is so good for kids because the water is really shallow.”

Finally, she and her family sat down on the beach to enjoy their breakfast with a stunning view.

The clip went viral on her TikTok account @lifealongsidelauren with 120k views.

People were quick to take to the comments in awe of Lauren’s new life.

One person wrote: “Living the dream, I would swap my builders’ tea in England for yours any day of the week.”

Another commented: “I have been following for a while just wanted to say that because of you and your TikTok my future with my kids will look the same!”

“I haven’t seen your posts for ages, glad you’re still enjoying your new life,” penned a third.

Meanwhile a fourth said: “Brekkie on the beach..elite!”

“Love watching your adventures! We are coming to to Thailand in August and can’t wait,” claimed a fifth.

Someone else added: “Such an inspiration.”

Aaron Turner, 34, was holidaying with his fiancee Shauna Wall, 32, and their four-year-old daughter Halle when he spotted the bizarre scenes at Hotel Sol Barbados

British holidaymakers have been dubbed ‘towel warriors’ as they rush to secure prime loungers by the pool at a Magaluf hotel the moment it opens.

Aaron Turner, 34, witnessed the comical spectacle while vacationing with his fiancée Shauna Wall, 32, and their four-year-old daughter Halle at Hotel Sol Barbados. In true British style, these eager tourists lined up beside the pool for as long as they could before the staff allowed access.

This family from County Meath, Ireland, reported that each day dawned with sun-seekers poised at one of the three entrances to the pool. Aaron, a full-time content creator and father of one, observed them congregating from 9am in anticipation of the 10am opening, despite the abundance of available sunbeds.

“The queues would get pretty long. Once the barriers opened, all the rules went – people were jumping the queue, and some were properly running,” he said.

Have you been swept up in the sunbed wars? Email [email protected]

READ MORE: ‘I went to an all-inclusive family resort solo and it was completely ridiculous’

Aaron highlighted the surplus of sunbeds yet pointed out that everyone was after the most coveted spots. Finding amusement in the situation, Aaron added: “I thought it was hilarious, I’ve seen videos of it online before but it was the first time I experienced it myself. We got a good laugh out of it.”

The sunbed wars are a long-standing, long-drawn-out battle that typically marks the start of the summer. When videos and tales emerge of the first 5am queue for a pool-side spot and mad dash across the tiles of the year, you know the weather is beginning to warm up.

Earlier this week we reported how a group of irate holidaymakers thwarted a cunning plan by fellow Brits to bag sunbeds seven hours before their hotel pool opened on a recent Spain holiday.

While having a late-night chinwag on their balcony, Mandy Boyd spotted some lads she thought were having a cheeky swim in the pool. But upon closer inspection, the 34-year-old realised the young men were trying to nab the best beds at 2am, despite the fact that the pool wasn’t due to open until 9am the next day.

The quartet of girls watched as the lads dragged out their sunloungers to try and secure prime spots. Mandy and her mates patiently waited on the balcony for the perfect moment to dash down and swipe the towels.

READ MORE: Brits warned as Spanish protestors ‘armed with water-pistols’ set new date for chaosREAD MORE: ‘I visited every country in the world and asked everyone I met one question’

The comical sunbed wars sabotage took place around 2am at the Aquasol Aparthotel, Palmanova, near Magaluf, Spain.

Joined by her mate, Sally Willows, the pair dashed down to the pool and swiftly grabbed the towels. “We’re just doing the Lord’s work,” Mandy from Bridgend, South Wales, said. “I can’t stand it when people reserve sunbeds and don’t use them all day.

“I find it really inconsiderate. It was shocking to see them reserving beds at 2am, especially when there was no chance of those lads being up to enjoy them. We kept the towels, but made sure we left them where they would find them.”

I tested myself if I could go a day without using my phone by participating on an 18-mile hike with nothing but a bottle of water – and what I discovered about myself was unexpectedly rewarding

I’m not the only one who says that I live attached to my phone and that everything I own and treasure is there. Realising that my screen time is higher than the average person’s, I wanted to prove to myself that I could go a day without it. So, when I saw the opportunity to go on a hike in the middle of nowhere with zero phone service, I couldn’t say no to it.

I wouldn’t consider myself a very sporty person, nor do I think I would have ever been interested in completing a hike by choice. With no expectations or preparations, except for a nice kit provided by Columbia Sportswear, I went for it – and let me tell you, it was so worth it.

READ MORE: Europe’s best hiking trails revealed – and two are in UK

Hiking is nature’s therapy

Throughout the year, Columbia Hike Society hosts multiple “Hike Fests” across the world. The whole point is to walk for miles and miles until you reach your destination, where a reward awaits you.

In our case, it was an emerging duo group called Lavender Music and Bombay Bicycle Club, an English indie rock band – and of course, a beautiful beach that looked like the ones in the Almafi Coast.

We walked through fields, along coastal paths and over sand dunes to an isolated area of Anglesey, located in north-western Wales. There was something so therapeutic about listening to the wind, the birds, the waves of the sea, and even the sound of the sole of the shoe touching the rocky ground.

Hiking is an underrated activity that is both engaging and relaxing. I appreciated the silence and being fully present in nature for three hours without using my phone and without listening to music. It’s also a social media trend called ‘rawdogging’, which is a slang term is used when undertaking an activity without any assistance, preparation or comfort.

READ MORE: ‘I’ve visited 18 European countries but these 4 left such a big impression on me’

Living in the moment

Thankfully, my friend joined the trip, which made it much more bearable, with a few laughs in between. We kept stopping to take pictures, but the insane views can’t be as appreciated through the lens as much as they are through your own eyes. Being born and raised in Barcelona, and also being used to the busy London environment, I didn’t think that the UK had the potential to be so beautiful!

Once we arrived at the beach, we sat down to eat our lunch and enjoyed performances from Lavender and Bombay Bicycle Club as the clear blue skies and sunlight graced us. That’s when I realised that I was going to wake up the next morning with a stiff body and that I was so unfit and should probably start going to the gym – but that’s another story.

What started at 10am, ended at 13:46pm, to be exact. During those long hours of non-stop walking, it gave me plenty of time to think about a lot of things, and I learnt to enjoy my own company without wanting to check my phone notifications.

I’ve also learnt to live in the moment, something we sometimes forget to do because we spend most of our time focused on what’s happening on social media and don’t look at what’s right in front of us.

But the one thing that I appreciated the most about this hiking trip was the realisation of how little we actually invest into ourselves and our well-being, and although it was my first time hiking, it will definitely not be the last one.